Proposed bill would impose rules at drop-in child care centers

Malls, grocery stores and gyms would be affected

A KCRA 3 investigation has spurred legislation that would impose requirements for so-called drop-in child care centers across California.

State Sen. Leland Yee will introduce an amendment Friday to Senate Bill 766 that would affect child care centers at gyms, grocery stores and malls - any that are currently unlicensed.

If it passes, it would require those places to maintain a ratio of no more than 10 children who are under 6 years old to each caretaker and no more than 15 children who are 7 years or older to each caretaker.

It would also require that staff members who work at the center undergo background checks.

Furthermore, the legislation requires that at least one staff member with health and safety training, including pediatric first aid and pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation, be present at all times.

The center must also establish protocols that include notifying parents of incidents at the center and the use of emergency services.

"This is because of a story (KCRA 3) broke about how some of these ancillary day care facilities don't have procedures to protect the safety of young individuals," Yee said. "As a result, we felt compelled that we had to do something about that."

Jaclyn White, the director of community services at Child Action Inc., said the regulations would be a step toward improving child safety at drop-in centers, but will demand more from an already strapped department.

"That's probably an additional burden on Community Care Licensing across the state," White said. "They're going to have to put money to support that or staffing to support that."

In the investigation that aired in February, parents Mark Magee and Lucinda Winward said that their son Jack was hurt at a child care center at a Sacramento California Family Fitness when he was 21 months old.

Jack's parents are still in a legal dispute with California Family Fitness over the incident that occurred more than two years ago.

KCRA 3 reviewed the state licensing requirements for child care centers and found that those at gyms are exempt because "parents and guardians are on the same premises as the site of the child care program," according to the health and safety code.

In a February interview with KCRA 3, Randy Karr, the president of California Family Fitness, said given the lawsuit, he could only say that Jack tripped and that staff members responded immediately to the incident.

Karr said that staff at his gym must not only undergo background checks, but are also trained in CPR and relating to children - all measures that go beyond what California law currently requires.

Jack's parents believe the proposed legislation imposing requirements on child care centers will not only increase awareness, but may help prevent what happened to their son from happening to another child.

Copyright 2013 by KCRA.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.